Museums and Heritage Highland

Gaelic Development in Museums
2023-11-16 13:00 - 14:30 UTC | Zoom, United States
This workshop will provide an introduction to working with Gaelic in museums and heritage settings. The session will look at specific examples of where and how Gaelic can fit within museums, covering some dos and don’ts and how to advocate for the language and culture. Anna MacQuarrie currently works as Gaelic Museum Development Officer with four independent Highland museums. Her previous museum experience has included wide-ranging curatorial work, community engagement and contemporary collecting.

Collections Care Surgery
2023-10-31 10:00 - 15:00
Do you have any niggling worries about your collection? Has something changed and you’re not sure if it’s a problem? Received a new object and wondering how to care for it? Planning a new exhibition or changing things in your store? Whatever your questions or thoughts, we invite you to join us for a collections care get-together! In the morning Jeanette Pearson, Conservation Officer at High Life Highland, will lead a session focusing on physical objects in our collections. In the afternoon Richard Aitken, Senior Conservator with Highlife Highland, will lead a session focusing on paper and archival materials.
Who should attend?
This session is suitable for anyone, paid or volunteer, who works with a museum collection.
What will you learn?
Jeanette Pearson will host a session in the morning (10am – 12pm) on object care and conversation. The session will:

Provide some examples and information on the types of conservation issues that she has experienced that are common to most museum collections.Aim to highlight and discuss the possible solutions and treatments.Discuss the practicality of treatment and collections care and pose a few important questions that you should always consider.Provide some practical advice on care of objects brought in by partcipants (please email nicola.henderson@museumsandheritagehighland.org.uk in advance if you would like to bring along a specific object)

Richard Aitken will lead a session in the afternoon (1pm – 3pm) on the care of paper and archival materials. The session will:

Provide some examples regarding handling documents, with some practical experience.Carry out a cleaning workshop, using conservation cleaning products.Show various forms of packaging ideas for documents, books & photographs.Examples and discussion on how to deal with insects.Provide some practical advice on care of objects brought in by participants. (please email nicola.henderson@museumsandheritagehighland.org.uk in advance if you would like to bring along a specific object)

About the trainers:
Jeanette Pearson ACR Conservation Officer, Inverness Museum & Art Gallery and The Highland Folk Museum.‘My specialisation and training is in Archaeological Conservation, but I have always worked as a museum objects conservator providing conservation treatment and collections care for a range of materials and objects ranging from archaeology, natural sciences, decorative arts and social history. A lot of my work involves active treatments assessing and stabilising newly acquired material as well as preventive conservation, which involves managing and monitoring the environmental, biological and physical factors that will influence the stability of collections in store and on display.’Richard Aitken ACR, Senior Conservator, High Life Highland Archive Service
‘My training began with bookbinding, studying Fine Bookbinding and Conservation at Guildford College. I went on to study archive conservation on the Archives & Records Association (ARA) Certificate in Archive Conservation, whilst working at West Yorkshire Archives in Wakefield. I began working for the Highland Archive Service in 2009. In 2010 I was awarded accreditation status, became an instructor on the ARA Conservation Training Scheme on map & plan conservation and in 2013 I completed a Masters in Preventive Conservation with Northumbria University. I thoroughly enjoy my job at the Highland Archive Service helping look after an extensive collection covering the whole of the Highland region.’
How to book
The workshop will take place at the Highland Archive Centre and you can book your tickets here –
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/collections-care-surgery-tickets-721106608277?aff=oddtdtcreator
Bring your own lunch! Tea, coffee and biscuits provided!

Sealladh - Highland Heritage Conference
2023-04-20 15:00 - 2023-04-21 16:00 | Wasps Inverness Creative Academy, Midmills Building, Stephen's Street, Inverness, Highlands, IV2 3JP, United Kingdom
A two day event bringing the Highland Heritage sector together to strengthen the network and create a vision for a positive future.

A﻿t this conference we aim to bring the network together to strengthen connections, share successes and challenges, exchange ideas and explore the skills needed to help the sector thrive into the future. With sessions on skills sharing, our workforce, resourcing and collections.

This conference is supported through the Museums Galleries Scotland Forum’s Fund project and is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

Day 1

3pm Arrival, coffee, tea, networking

3.45pm Welcome from Dan

4pm Skills Speed Sharing (chaired by Helen and Nicola) – This first session will be a fun, kind of ice breaker session, but also useful in learning about the diversity of skills in the sector, the needs and wants of the sector and how we bring those two together.

5pm Project Pecha Kucha – A series of talks from museums across the region on how they have responded to the demands of the last few years and/or on their hopes for the future. Please get in touch if you would like to present a project or topic from your museum.

6pm Dinner at Velocity

7.30pm Film Screening – Dùthcas | Home with QandA after (TBC)

Day 2

9am Tea, coffee, networking

9.30am Our People – A panel discussion looking at the museum workforce. How is our workforce changing? What are the current challenges in volunteering? How do we support our staff? Panel chaired by Tamsin Russell with Siobhan Beatson, Ian Leith + David Bell

10.15am Workshops to support the Our People session

1 – Wellbeing in museums (led by Tamsin Russell)

2 – Succession planning and using digital volunteers (led by David Bell)

11am Tea, coffee, networking

11.30am Resourcing Our Heritage – What’s the current picture? Challenges, opportunities, new ideas. Panel includes Gillian Simison MGS, Megan Braithwaite NLHF, Katie Mullen (Glencoe Museum and chaired by Ben Thomas.

12.15pm Workshops to support ROH session

1 – Capital projects discussion group (led by David Rounce)

2 – Building a new funding model/innovative income generation (TBC)

3 – Tourism in the Highlands (with Highland Tourism + Highland Historian)

1pm LUNCH

2pm Collections Now – Panel discussion looking at how we approach collecting in the 21st C. How do we ensure our collections are accessible and representive of society today? How do we care for our objects in terms of our capacity (skills, time, money)? Chaired by Katey Boal with input from Freya Samuel, Rachael Thomas, Abeer Eladany and Peter Knowles.

2.45pm Workshops to support collections theme

1 – Decolonisation – Abeer Eladany and Freya Samuel

2 – Caring for our collections – Rachael Thomas

3 – Digital engagement opportunities – Peter, Knowles Smartify

3.30pm closing remarks from Dan

Highland Heritage Day
2023-03-04 10:00 - 16:00 | Dingwall Academy, A862, Dingwall, Highlands, IV15 9LT, United Kingdom
This is an opportunity to bring many, hopefully most, of the Highland’s heritage organisations together. We rarely get a chance to meet up, to promote what we do, and to share ideas and concerns. There are many issues and concerns for heritage groups at present. We want to hear your experience and help find some solutions.

Who is it for? Everyone working or volunteering in the Highland heritage sector! That means museums, archives, heritage centres, heritage groups, individual researchers, community trusts – if you work/volunteer to preserve and celebrate the heritage of the Highlands then you are welcome. Our aims for the day are to bring the whole sector together to celebrate the work being done, meet and learn from each other and explore the potential for stronger collaborative working at all levels.

Do bring a display or have a table about your organisation so others know what you are about. We want the day to be fun, inspiring and informative! We have arranged workshops on a number of topics. Please select which ones you intend to attend when booking.

Thanks for funding from Historic Environment Scotland, Highland Council and ARCH, the day will be free to attend and will include lunch.

Programme:

10:00 Doors open, coffees and teas, set up and browse stalls

11:00 Welcome and plan for the day

11:30 Discussion groups

12:15 Plenary session to report back from discussion groups

12:30-13:45 Lunch, with time to eat, meet, talk and view stalls

13:45 Workshops

14:45 Teas and coffees

15:00 Plenary session on the ways forward

16:00 Close

Download the booking form below to reserve your place

Highland-Heritage-Day-Booking-form-v.-3Download

Unforgotten Highland Women - Isobel Gowdie, Auldearn
2022-06-30 13:00 - 15:00 | Nairn Museum, Viewfield Drive, Nairn, Highland, IV12 4EE, United Kingdom
The Witch of Auldearn – Isobel Gowdie (17th century). The story of Isobel Gowdie is embedded in the world of academia as part of the Scottish Witch Trial accounts. Her story has also featured in a music composition by James McMillan and most recently an American novelist (Nancy Hayes Kilgore )has recently published a novel – Bitter Magic – based on Isobel’s life. What makes Isobel’s story different is that she confessed her witchcraft without the usual torture imposed. She was regarded as a great story teller and her story has influenced later studies of witchcraft.

Pauline Moore, BBC producer and reporter and experienced podcaster, will be in conversation with Melissa Davies, curator of Nairn Museum, Andrew Grant Mackenzie, Highland Historian and Helen Wright who designed the mural to Isobel that can be found in Auldearn. There will also be an opportunity to view some objects related to witchcraft from the local area.

This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

Unforgotten Highland Women - Beatrice Garvie, North Ronaldsay
2022-06-28 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom, United States
The Orkney Doctor and Photographer – Beatrice Garvie (1872-1956), was one of the earliest women to qualify as a doctor, and worked in Glasgow, India, and London. She understood the links between poverty and ill health, and was prepared to champion equal entitlement to healthcare, even when it meant putting herself on the line. Beatrice spent 15 years on North Ronaldsay as the GP in the 1930s, and 40s. She was a keen photographer and took lots of pictures of everyday life. Local people were well used to Beatrice and her camera, and would ask her to capture the important moments of family life for them. This work is now an important and unusually privileged record of island history.

Pauline Moore, BBC producer and reporter and experienced podcaster, will be joined by Fiona Sanderson, artist and researcher, as they talk with special guests linked to Beatrice directly. This event will be held on Zoom and recorded for use in an upcoming podcast series. Book via this link – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unforgotten-highland-women-beatrice-garvie-north-ronaldsay-tickets-356229180067

This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

Unforgotten Highland Women - Margaret Swanson, Castletown
2022-06-24 13:00 - 15:00 | Castlehill Heritage Centre, Harbour Road, Castletown, KW14 8TG, United Kingdom
Margaret grew up in Castletown, Caithness, the daughter of the village cobbler. Despite her humble beginnings she went on to influence the education of generations of girls. After early schooling at the local school, Margaret was sent to board with an elderly lady to allow her to attend Wick Academy for further education. She became a pupil teacher in the town and embarked on teacher training in Aberdeen. She stayed in Scotland when her family emigrated to Nova Scotia. It was her interest in the physical and mental development of children which allowed her to change the “Code “ or requirements for sewing on the School Curriculum. The emphasis at the time was on the fineness of stitching on a delicate white material. This Margaret declared to be as meaningless as using black chalk on a blackboard. She became an instructor in the Glasgow school of Art, Charles Rennie MacIntosh was among her associates. She developed the “ Margaret Swanson System of Educational Needlework” revolutionising its teaching in Britain and abroad. Children were encouraged to choose the bright colours of thread they preferred , learning to stitch on unbleached calico with wool and cotton. Older girls were shown how to make their own embroidered garments, allowing imagination and creativity . Margaret continued to travel, research ,lecture and learn until ill-health put an end to her devotion to her craft.

Pauline Moore, BBC producer and reporter and experienced podcaster, will interview Muriel Murray who first learned of Margaret’s story. There will be material relating to Margaret Swanson’s early years and examples of needlework on display for everyone to peruse over the tea and cake break. We will also be joined by the local school and local crafts groups as the audience is invited to make their own ‘sampler’ in Margaret’s memory.

This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

Unforgotten Highland Women - Megan Boyd and Caroline Ross, Brora
2022-06-23 13:00 - 15:30 | Brora Heritage Centre, Fascally, Brora, Highland, KW9 6LE, United Kingdom
Megan Boyd – salmon fly dresser (1915-2001)

Though she never fished herself, she is regarded as the finest maker of salmon fishing flies in the world. She took to the craft of salmon fly dressing under the supervision of a Sutherland gamekeeper. She won her first award in 1938 at the Empire Exhibition in Glasgow and received the British Empire Medal in 1971. Discussions are taking place about commissioning an art installation in her memory and erecting it at one of the gateways to the village of Brora. The move came after a Norwegian angler and Megan Boyd devotee made a pilgrimage to Brora to pay homage to her, but was shocked to find nothing about her there, although her life story is told at the Brora Heritage Centre.

Caroline Ross (1904-1985)

Caroline Ross was a 25-year-old, single schoolteacher who concealed her pregnancy and delivered her ‘illegitimate’ child alone in her room in her lodgings in a rural community in the Highlands of Scotland in 1930. The child was discovered dead the same day.

She was put in custody and charged with Child Murder and appeared in court three months later. The case was widely reported in the papers at the time. Writer and historian Nick Lindsay writes that – ninety years on and the sense of the stress and tension of the terrifying court case in which she spoke not a single word of evidence, is tangible. The medical evidence appeared damning; the cause of the infant’s death was throttling, but the jury delivered a verdict of ‘Not Proven’. An absolute cliff-hanger to the end! It’s an extremely sad story with a tragic outcome but, it illustrates a lot about attitudes and lack of support for young woman who found themselves pregnant at the time. The court case was a media sensation at the time. How can stories like this be remembered and reflect on changing attitudes?

Pauline Moore, BBC producer and reporter and experienced podcaster, will interview Dr Nick Lindsay, author and chair of Clyne Heritage Society. Pauline and Nick will be joined by Mary Warrior for Megan’s story and by Wattie and Angela MacBeath for Caroline’s story. There will be an opportunity to look at objects related to the stories and enjoy a cup of tea.

This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

Unforgotten Highland Women - Mary Marjory MacDonald, Ullapool
2022-06-21 10:30 - 12:30 | Highland Museum of Childhood, The Old Station, Strathpeffer, IV14 9DH, United Kingdom
How is a notorious story which would have been thought of as shameful and shunned at the time remembered now? Mary Marjory was the only child of a local Gaelic speaking fishing family who had a successful business in town. She was orphaned in her teens and took to London society, travelled across Europe and became a very successful jewel thief – gaining the trust of the Ladies she worked with in high society circles. She was caught and tried a number of times, including on the platform at Strathpeffer Old Railway Station where this event will be held.

Pauline Moore, freelance BBC producer and reporter and experienced podcaster, will be in conversation with Siobhan Beatson, curator at Ullapool Museum and Morven Macdonald, curator Highland Museum of Childhood to uncover Mary’s story. There will be opportunities to explore the platform where she was caught, look at the museum display in her memory, enjoy some tea and cake and to be interviewed for a podcast, giving your thoughts on the story.

This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

Museums and Education Post-Covid
2022-05-19 11:00 - 15:30 | Gairloch Museum, Gairloch, IV21 2BH, United Kingdom
Education is at the heart of all museum activity and prior to COVID-19 museums provided education activities predominantly in the form of guided tours, staff visits, school outreach, loan boxes and professional development for teachers. When the pandemic hit many took their education online, firstly by providing digital resources for use at home or in school and in time some experimented with virtual visits utilising video conferencing tech. As we emerge from the pandemic museums are looking to the future, looking to relaunch some of those in person activities which are so important while capitalising on the opportunities of digital engagement both for local and global audiences. On this day we pose the question – what does a blended education programme look like for small – medium sized museums? This day is brought to you by XpoNorth with Support from MHH.

– 11am – Arrival and Coffee

– 11.30am – Welcome + Panel presentations

Steve Gardam, Director, Roald Dahl Museum

Gillian MacNee, Learning Officer, Historic Environmnet Scotland

Mark Macleod, Freelance Museum Professional (Gairloch Museum)

Katey Boal, Engagement Manager, National Trust of Scotland

– 12.30pm – Panel QandA

– 1pm – Lunch + Gairloch Museum tour

– 2.15pm – Roundtable discussions

Table 1 – What does a good virtual visit look like? (and how to do them on a budget)

Table 2 – How do we balance a blended programme of education activity?

– 3pm – Bookable one to ones with panel members or ENDs for those who need to head back

– 3.45pm – Ends

Pathways to Action 2 - What is the route to a low carbon future for small to medium sized museums?
2021-11-02 13:30 - 15:00 | Zoom, United States
Second Pathways to Action event – a series of climate conversations.

In this final discussion we take a look at the practical steps museums can take to make their businesses more sustainable. Roger Curtis from Historic Environment Scotland and Caitlin Southwick from Ki Futures join us to address issues of building and organisational sustainability. They will both make detailed presentations before we open the floor to a wider discussion around the challenges we face in being more sustainable.

Roger Curtis is a Chartered Building Surveyor with a background in construction work on historic and traditional buildings. He has RICS building conservation accreditation and has been with Historic Environment Scotland since 2006 and is responsible for managing the Technical Research Unit, its programme and its published outputs; his team interacts widely through outreach work with industry, building professionals and trades.

Work strands include trials and demonstration work relating to energy efficiency in older buildings, climate change adaptation, the use and specification of traditional materials and emergency repair. His team also sponsors projects on traditional buildings with community and other groups to demonstrate all aspects of repair and upgrade.

Roger will discuss options for energy reduction in traditional facilities and ideas for approaches to ventilation and space management. He will outline recent HES work, refer to various case studies’ and outline support and advice that museums can access through HES.

Caitlin Southwick is the Founder and Executive Director of Ki Culture and Sustainability in Conservation (SiC). She holds a Professional Doctorate in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage from the University of Amsterdam. Before founding Ki Culture, Caitlin worked in the conservation field for eight years in museums and sites around the world, including the Vatican Museums, The Getty Conservation Institute, The Uffizi Gallery, and Easter Island. She is the Secretary of the Working Group on Sustainability for the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and a former Professional Member of the American Institute of Conservation (AIC) Sustainability Committee.

Caitlin will be introducing us to the Ki Futures project and discussing how we can implement sustainability in the cultural sector, harnessing the unique opportunity to connect people to a sustainable future through culture. . Ki Futures is the first program of its kind, empowering cultural professionals to achieve sustainability. It is a global training and coaching network which provides all of the support and resources needed for cultural professionals and institutions to achieve sustainability success. The program provides tailored solutions and expertise and connects sustainability actors across the globe to streamline sharing best practices, citizen science, co-creation and peer-to-peer learning. No matter how big or small your institution or practice is – we all want to be sustainable, and Ki Futures makes it possible.

This event has been supported by the #COP26Conversations fund developed in partnership by Museums Galleries Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and Scottish Libraries Information Council.

Pathways to Action 1 - How can museums inspire radical climate action in their communities?
2021-10-26 13:30 - 15:00 | Zoom, United States
First event in a short series of discussion events that hope to inspire museums to take the lead in their communities in tackling climate change. We have invited speakers from all over the world to share their climate projects – projects that are looking to go beyond raising awareness of the challenges we face, by helping find solutions and promote action. Each speaker will give a short presentation before we have a panel discussion and audience QandA. (image above is copyright of the Existances Project)

Dr Rowan Gard, Research Fellow at UCL Institute of Archaeology, will introduce us to the ‘Reimagining Museums for Climate Action’ project and put it into the context of COP26

Walter Francisco Figueiredo Lowande, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Laboratory of Studies in Theory, Historicity and Aesthetics of the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Walter will tell us about the Existances project in Brazil and how they approached answering the question ‘ What if Museums were small places that supported their communities in addressing local climate challenges and actions?’ The Existances project goes beyond documenting and preserving the past, reminding us that such knowledge is vital for the future of the planet.

Andy Mackinnon, director/cinematographer/producer and Arts Curator at Taigh Chearsabhagh Museums and Arts Centre, North Uist, will discuss Taigh Chearsabhagh’s Lines project (which addressed rising sea levels for local island communities) alongwith UistFilm projects, COP26 Message in a Bottle and Message from Upernavik.

Bryony Robins, Creative Director, Royal Cornwall Museum, will talk about their projects focusing on the climate emergency, in particular Fragile Planet – a major exhibition of watercolours by renowned artist Tony Foster that illustrate the precariousness of wilderness and endangered environments around the world.

This event has been supported by the #COP26Conversations fund developed in partnership by Museums Galleries Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland and Scottish Libraries Information Council.

Slaves and Highlanders - hidden histories of Scotland and the Carribean
2021-10-23 14:00 - 15:00 | Cromarty Courthouse, Church Street, Cromarty, Ross-shire, IV11 8XA, United Kingdom
Join David Alston on a walk to uncover Cromarty’s links with the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The one-hour walk will start at Cromarty harbour and finish at Cromarty Courthouse, where David’s newly published book will be available to purchase.

Slaves and Highlanders - silenced histories of Scotland and the Carribean
2021-10-22 14:00 - 15:00 | Cromarty Courthouse, Church Street, Cromarty, Ross-shire, IV11 8XA, United Kingdom

Salt Symposium, Brora
2021-10-16 09:00 - 2021-10-17 17:00 | Brora Primary School Hall and Community Centre, Johnston Place, Brora, KW9 6PF, United Kingdom
Join us for a unique and exciting weekend event in Brora! Organised by The SCAPE Trust and local partners, including Clyne Heritage Society (Brora) and Brora Salt Pans Research Group, this event brings salt historians, archaeologists, enthusiasts and Scottish salt producers together to share knowledge and celebrate this historic Scottish industry.On Saturday, keynote speaker, historian Professor Chris Whatley, author of The Scottish Salt Industry 1570-1850, will start off a wide-ranging programme of talks by archaeologists and historians covering the latest research into the historical manufacture of sea salt in Scotland and further afield. Talks include archaeological and historical research at Brora’s salt pans. The programme concludes with presentations from each of the three artisan sea salt producers operating in Scotland today.On Sunday, there will be a field trip to the archaeological sites of Brora’s 17th and 18th century salt houses and their associated industrial landscapes and experimental salt making in a replica salt pan at the Brora Heritage Centre.View the programme here https://scapetrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/SaltSymposiumDownloadProgrammeA4.pdf

Tickets cost £25.00 and include entrance to the Saturday conference with lunch coffee and tea, and Sunday activities. Book your ticket through Eventbrite

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scottish-salt-symposium-tickets-167587589993

There is a £2.54 Eventbrite fee. We advise booking early.Discounted Saturday tickets cost £15.00 and are available for Clyne Heritage Society members/students/KW9 residents. Tickets can be purchased either at Brora Heritage Centre or at The Otter’s Couch Brora during opening hours, or through Eventbrite. There is a £1.76 Eventbrite fee.

The Covid measures we are taking for the in-person event are:Having a maximum 50% capacity in the main hall so that everyone has plenty of space during the conference presentations on Saturday. There will inevitably be closer contact at pinch points, e.g. during lunch and breaks. But these will be for shorter time periods. We will ensure that the inside spaces are well-ventilated by opening windows and doors. Masks are mandatory inside – unless exempt, whilst eating and drinking, and for presenters delivering their presentations. We are asking all attendees to do a self covid test the day prior to the event.

We will be recording the presentations and making them available online. You’ll find information and links on the www.scapetrust/salt-symposium page following the live event. Enquiries:jh105@st-andrews.ac.uk or jacquieaitken@btinternet.com

Small Finds Illustration Workshop
2021-09-28 10:00 - 12:00
Expert illustrator Thomas Small (Small Finds & Design) will deliver two workshops at Nairn Community & Arts Centre. The workshops will focus on practical exercises, teaching the principles of pottery and small finds illustration with a straight-forward guide for participants to take home. The workshop is hands-on, but with small numbers and participants will have social distancing. If anyone is interested please book as soon as possible with Leanne Demay at Leanne@socantscot.org

Introduction to Finds Conservation
2021-09-27 13:00 - 16:00 | Zoom, United States
As part of the launch programme for the Highland Archaeological ResearchFramework, Gretel Evans ACR (Conservation Manager, AOC Archaeology) willdeliver an online workshop covering important aspects of archaeologicalconservation, including: an overview of conservation techniques; initialassessment of finds in the field; handling, packing and support; andgeneral storage and condition checking in a museum environment – withsome important do’s and don’ts along the way!

This event is aimed at museum professionals and volunteers, individualsworking on archaeological sites (professional or amateur), metaldetectorists, students, and those who’d like to find out more aboutarchaeological conservation.

Note: This is an online event, please book your place through Eventbriteon the link below.

Cultural Hustings
2021-04-29 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom, United States
Our heritage cafe on 29th April, becomes a heritage hustings! We have invited candidates from all the main parties to join us, tell us about their cultural policies related to heritage, arts, tourism and the environment and to answer YOUR questions on these areas. This is a unique opportunity to really delve into cultural policy and find out who understands the current climate we are operating in and who has the ideas to help make real change for the benefit of our communities. Chairing the session will be Dr Iain Robertson, UHI and he will be joined by Kate Forbes, SNP; Denis Rixon, Liberal Democrates; Ariane Burgess, Greens; Shaun Fraser, Labour and Jamie Halcro Johnstone, Conservatives.

To register your interest please email nicola.henderson@museumsandheritagehighland.org.uk and please also submit any questions you would like to ask. If you can’t make the session, but have a question, please send it on and we will do our best to put it to the candidates. Hope to see lots of you there!

Highland Threads Launch
2021-04-01 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom, United States
Join us online for the launch of Highland Threads, an innovative online exhibition exploring the history of people in northern Scotland.

Fourteen museums from across the Highlands are taking part in Highland Threads. The virtual exhibition showcases a treasured costume from each museum’s collection alongside stories of the people who made the cloth, who wore the clothes and where they were produced.

Nicola Henderson and Helen Avenell from Museums and Heritage Highlands will introduce the exhibition and discuss how the project evolved, the process of collaboration and the benefits of working in partnership with museums across the Highlands. There will also be many guest speakers talking about the costumes, the stories and how the project will support Highland heritage.

Partner museums: Glencoe Museum, Inverness Museum & Art Gallery, Gairloch Museum, Ullapool Museum, Grantown Museum, West Highland Museum, Highland Museum of Childhood, Castlehill Heritage Centre, Tain through Time, Wick Heritage Museum, Highland Folk Museum, Groam House Museum, Strathnaver Museum and Dornoch Historylinks.

Heritage Cafe
2021-03-18 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom, United States
Fortnightly online cafe discussing all things museums and heritage in the Highlands and beyond. Email Nicola for the link

Heritage Cafe
2021-02-18 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom, United States
Email nicola.henderson@museumsandheritagehighland.org.uk if you would like to join us.

Heritage Cafe
2020-11-26 10:30 - 11:30 | Zoom, United States
This week’s cafe will be an informal chat about learning programmes – the challenges and opportunities faced by going digital and a look ahead to how we deliver learning next year. Email nicola.henderson@museumsandheritagehighland.org.uk for the link!

Heritage Cafe
2020-10-29 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom, United States
10-10.40am, Neil Ogilvy from MGS will join us to discuss their project ‘Forum Connections’. Forum Connections is a 4-year MGS project, funded by the NLHF, designed to build the capacity of Scotland’s museums for partnership working through investment in Scotland’s geographic forums. This session will provide an overview and give an opportunity to ask any questions to the project team.

10.45-11.30am. ‘The Coast that Shaped the World is a west coast maritime heritage project, which covers the area from Wester Ross down to Arran and including the Outer Hebrides and islands. A community-led, story based project, stories will be gathered from 20 destinations across the west coast – stories that shaped our coastal communities into what they are today and which convey how our maritime cultural and natural heritage helped to shape the world. These stories will be narrated through a website, app and programme of immersive and inspirational digital exhibitions. The aim is to attract people to come to the less-visited areas of the west coast of Scotland. The project is engaging local ‘story gatherers’ within these 20 destinations and communities, and we hope to work as closely as possible with local museums and heritage centres throughout each stage of the project and also as locations for the digital exhibitions/installations which will be in place for 2022’s Year of Scotland’s Stories.

Email nicola.henderson@museumsandheritagehighland.org.uk for the link

Heritage Cafe - MHH AGM
2020-09-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom, United States
We will be starting the meeting with our AGM – covering the usual business and then a conversation about our first year and plans for the future (that we want you to shape!). All are welcome, but only members can vote – Join here. Email nicola.henderson@museumsandheritagehighland.org.uk

Heritage Cafe with Cornwall Museums
2020-08-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom, United States
We are delighted to welcome Cornwall Museum’s Partnership and their members to our next Heritage Cafe. Throughout lockdown they have been hosting coffee mornings while we have been coming together at our cafe’s. They are a region with a very similar make up to us – small rural museums, some completely voluntary run or with small staff teams, with big ambitions. And now more than ever, seeing the benefits and drawbacks of ‘staycationing’. They have the same questions around to open or not to open. How best to do that. How to plan for the future. How to keep up audience engagement if you are closed. Email Nicola for link – nicola.henderson@museumsandheritagehighland.org.uk

Jacobite Day
2020-08-15 11:30 - 16:00 | Armadale Castle, Gardens and Museum, Armadale, Sleat, Isle of Skye, IV45 8RS, United Kingdom
Watch costumed re-enactors and join in Jacobite themed activities.

Heritage Cafe
2020-07-20 10:00 - 11:00
Our bi-weekly heritage cafe continues with special guest Annie Mottisfont from NLHF. Email Nicola for the link!

E-Hive Workshop
2020-07-17 10:00 - 12:00
eHive is a user-friendly digital collections management system used by an increasing number of Highland museums. Drawing on our experience implementing eHive at Ullapool Museum, Jo Clement and Helen Avenell will lead this hands-on virtual workshop to guide you through the use of eHive to support collections management procedures including object entry, cataloguing and inventory. We will create a temporary museum of 21st-century Highland household objects to work with during the session, so please bring along a digital photograph of a household object that you don’t mind sharing. Email to book your place.

Heritage Cafe
2020-06-05 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom, United States
Opening in the New World – we will be joined by Joe Traynor, MGS and others to discuss the challenges of reopening and what support is out there.

Heritage Cafe
2020-06-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom, United States
Let’s Engage. We will be joined by Dougal and Katie from Inner Ear (experts on digital engagement), Tim from Twin Tangibles (crowdsourcing expert) and Georgina Brooke, Digital Media Content Manager from National Museums of Scotland to discuss growing your reach and engagement on social media. This is an informal session, so bring your questions with you!
